Preface

This book is intended to introduce Oracle8i, and to present the new functionality that it brings. It provides descriptions of new features, options, and enhancements; and includes feature and option factoring matrixes to identify those features and options that are available with each specific product configuration (Oracle8i, Oracle8i Enterprise Edition, or Oracle8i Workstation). It references the documentation that is available for Oracle8i and identifies deprecated or desupported features.

Intended Audience

This book is addressed to anyone who would like to become familiar with Oracle8i. While it provides an overview of Oracle8i, it is intended to be of particular interest to those who desire to identify and develop an understanding of its enhancements, new features, and options.

How to Use This Book

Chapter 2, "Oracle8i New Features", can be used to identify a new option, feature, or enhancement and to read its description. For more information, you may refer to the documentation that is cross-referenced in the description.

Oracle8i contains a subset of the features and options that are available in Oracle8i Enterprise Edition and Oracle8i Workstation. You can refer to the matrixes in Chapter 4, "Oracle8i Feature and Option Availability", to identify if a particular option or feature is available for your product configuration.

Related Documents

While this book identifies enhancements, new features, and options for Oracle8i, release 8.1.5, it does not attempt to identify every new or changed initialization parameter, data dictionary table, view, command, package, or the likes. Such information should be available from the cross-referenced documentation.

For a complete list of all new Oracle8i initialization parameters, static data dictionary tables, and dynamic performance views (V$ views). Many initialization parameters have been added, changed, or dropped in this release.

This is the complete reference of SQL commands. It identifies all new Oracle8i commands.

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